Garage door mechanism



p 1933- E. EGUSTAVSON GARAGE DOOR MECHANISM Filed July 24, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l p 1933- E. E. GUSTAVSON GARAGE DOOR MECHANISM Filed July 24, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 12, 1933 PATENT oFFi-ce GARAGE DOOR MECHANISM Erik E. Gustavson, Moline, Ill. Application July 24, 1930. Serial No. 470,355

1 Claim. (Cl. 268-35) My invention relates to a garage door mecha-. nism, and has for its purpose to provide means whereby the doors of a garage may be opened or closed automatically and through the instrumentality of a vehicle passing into or out of the building. It is of the same general type as a similar device for which I have made application for Letters Patent of the United Statesunder date of-Dec. 5, 1927, Serial No. 237,692. The present invention seeks to improve on said former device by simplifying certain parts thereof, ar-

ranging the same more conveniently and com pactly, and adapting the sameso that the apparatus can be more easily installed.

In the drawings Fig. l is a plan view of the invention, as applied to a pair of doors hung to swing outwardly, with the doors shown in open position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, looking toward the door 2.

Fig. 3 is a detail of the trip mechanism by means of which the device is set, ready for action.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view with the doors closed. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the operative apparatus with some of the parts removed, and in position with the doors closed.

Fig. 6 is a similar view with the device set for action, and the dog 24 engaged with one of the catches 23.

Fig. '7 is a similar view to Fig. 6, with the dog 25 in engagement, and the doors in open position.

Fig. 8 is a detail of the frame 9 and lever 8 ful-'- crumed thereon.

Similar parts are indicated by corresponding reference characters throughout the several figures.

The invention embraces several groups of organisms, including parts for handling the doors, means for storing power and imparting the same to the doors to alternately open or close the same, and trip devices for utilizing the weight of a motor vehicle to suitably store the power. Another group has to do with devices for automatically lockingthe doors in either open or closed positions.

The reference number 1 indicates the front wall of a garage or similar structure, provided with an opening adapted for closing by a pair of doors 2 and 2 hinged at the sides of the opening,

"so as to swing outwardly, and away from each other. Fixed to the door 2 is a bracket-arm 3, to the end of which is pivoted a rod '4, the other end of which has a pivotal connection with a bracket 5 on the other door. Any movement of the door 2 is thereby imparted to the door 2 and either outwardly or inwardly therewith. At the lower end of the door 2 is a bracket 6, to which is connected one end of a bar 7, the other end of which has a pivotal connection with a lever 8, fulcrumed on a frame 9, as at a. Said frame is provided at one end with an upwardly bent plate 10, by means of which it is attached to the wall of the building. At the other end of the frame!) is a smaller lever 11, connected at one end with a hoolepin 12, passing through openings in lugs 13 on said frame, said pin being threaded at its end to receive a nut 14. A heavy spring 15 is attached at one end to the lever 11 and at the other end to the plate 1.0.

Slidable on the frame 9 is a frame 16, having a central slot 17 engaging a pin 18 on the frame 9.- Projected rearwardly from said frame-is an arm 19, pivoted at its end to the end of the lever On the sides of said frame 16 are catches 23, for alternative engagement by lugs on the ends of dogs 24 and 25, pivoted to the lever 8 on opposite sides of its fulcrum, and united beneath' the plate 16 by a coiled spring 26. A swinging guard 27 is also pivoted at the pivot point of the frame 16, and provided on its end with extensions 28 slidable on lugs 29 on the frame 16. One or other of the edges of the guard 2'7 is in line'with one of the edges of the frame 16; forming a continuous track therewith for the movement'of one or other of the dogs 24 and 25, in the-manner set forth in said former application.

At the free end of the-frame 16 is a lug 29', perforated for the passage of a rod 30, which passes outwardly through the-wall of the garage, and is connected at some distance therefrom with one end of an arm 31, pivoted on a plate 32, in which plate is rockingly mounted one end of an arched trip-lever 33, the other end of said lever being similarly supported in a plate 34. The other end of the arm 31 is connected with the lever 33 by a link 35, and a coiled spring 36 is attached at one end to the plate 34 and at the other end to the lever 33, at a point to assist in returning the lever to a neutral position after having been turned downwardly in either direction.

The inner end of the rod 30 is turned upwardly into a loop at 30 .and upon the lever 33 being. turned downwardly in a direction away from the doors the rod will merely slide in the lug 29, with no effect upon the frame 16. Upon the lever being turned in the opposite direction, however, the frame 16 is drawn forwardly, compressing the spring 15, and tending to rock the lever 8 to open or close the doors, as the case may be. The doors are in locked position, however, and held from movement until the locking mechanism is released. In Fig. 6 the mechanism is shown in set position, with the spring 15 under compression. Upon the doors being released the spring 15 forces the frame 16 inwardly, and the dog 24 being engaged with said frame, the lever 8 is rocked on its fulcrum, forcing the doors open. In Fig. 7 the spring is again shown under compression, but with the doors open, and the dog 25 in engagement with the frame 16, so that upon the doors being released they are swung shut by the lever 8.

Having a pivotal connection with the upper end of the door 2 is a lock-plate 37, passing inwardly through an opening in a plate 38 fixed above the door opening. Said lock-arm is provided at its ends with notches 39 and 40, for engagement with the lower edge of said opening. Fixed at the side of the door is a bracket 41 for the support of one end of a rod 42, the other end of which is supported in a lug on the plate 38 and has its end turned upon itself just beneath the lock-arm. The other end of said rod is fitted with a crank 4 connected by a cable or rod 45 with a crank-arm 46 on the end of a shaft 47, rockingly mounted in a bearing plate 48 fixed to the wall of the building. By moving the arm 46 downwardly the rod 42 is rocked in a direction to cause the curved end thereof to raise the lockarm 37 and permit the doors to be swung open or shut as the case may be, one of the notches in the lock-arm serving to hold the doors in closed position, and the other one holding them in open position. A spring 49 tends to hold the rod 42 in an inactive position, or return the same thereto after being rocked.

At the forward end of the frame 9 is a mounting 50 for a hand-lever 51, said lever being held yieldably at one side of the mounting by a coiled spring 52. A rod 53 connects the lever 51 with the crank-arm 46, whereby the crank-arm can be rocked to release the lock-arm. A short piece of chain 58 also connects the end of the rod 30 with the rock-arm 46, so that when the trip-lever 33 is rocked outwardly the inward movement of said rod will also rock said arm and release the lock-arm. At one side of the lever 51 is an eye 55 in which is slidable the end of a bar 56 which lies along the frame 16 and is pivoted thereto at its forward end.

It will be understood that the trip-lever 33 is in the lineof travel of the wheels on one side or other of, a vehicle entering or leaving the garage, and that by the movement of the wheels over the lever and the weight of the vehicle applied thereto the desired results in connection with the operation of the doors will be attained. If the car is on the inside of the garage with the doors closed and locked the lock is released by moving the hand-lever 51 away from the wall 1. By also forcing said hand-lever to one side against the spring 52 the bar 56 is moved in the same direction and caused to disconnect the dog 24 from 'theframe 16. The doors are then pushed outwardly by hand. The opening of the doors rocks the lever 8 into the position shown in Fig. 1, with the dog 25 in engagement with the frame 16. In case said parts do not fully engage a slight movement of the hand lever 51 toward the wall 1 will force the frame 16 in the same direction sufficiently to cause the dog to catch, the action of said dog being impelled by the force of the spring 26. The vehicle is then driven from the building, the wheels on one side thereof passing over the trip-lever and depressing the same outwardly without any effect upon the apparatus. The car is then backed until the rear wheel passes over the trip-lever again, depressing the same toward the building, storing power in the spring 15, as shown in Fig. '7. The vehicle is then moved ahead again causing the trip-lever to release the locking mechanism, whereupon the doors are closed by the action of the spring 15.

Upon the return of the vehicle to the garage the trip-lever is first turned inwardly, storing power in the spring 15, and then upon the car being backed a little the lever is tipped in the other direction to release the lock and the doors again open. As the car passes into the garage the spring 15 is compressed again, and upon the lock-arm being released by operation of the hand-lever 51, the doors again move to a closed position and are locked.

What I claim, and desire to secure, is:

In combination with a building having an opening and a hinged closure therefor, a stored power apparatus in proximity to said opening, including a lever rockingly mounted, connections between said lever and said closure, a trip-lever mechanism in front of said building, a locking bar connected with said closure adapted to hold 

